


The Assassin's Apprentice

by baeconandeggs, Cyborg_noodle_limbs



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Assassins & Hitmen, BaekYeol - Freeform, ChanBaek - Freeform, Crime, Execution, Historical, M/M, Minor Character Death, Murder and Assassinations, Romance, Royalty, gore and detailed descriptions of gore, smut but briefly, strong language in certain scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-26 04:50:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14993186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyborg_noodle_limbs/pseuds/Cyborg_noodle_limbs
Summary: A Masquerade, an unfortunate “Accident”, and a string of killings of young orphan boys brought Baekhyun, a famed apprentice of an Assassin and Chanyeol a dashing Prince together.





	The Assassin's Apprentice

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt #:** BAE181  
>  **Disclaimer: baeconandeggs/the mods is/are not the author/s of this story. Authors will be credited and tagged after reveals.** The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
>  **Author's Note:** First and foremost I'd like to apologise to the Mods, for taking so long to submit, you guys have a lot of patience to deal with people like me, and I'd also like to apologise to anyone who reads this un-betaed and not proofread mess (unless you count a free edition of grammarly as proof reading, in which case I proofread.) that was written in the early hours of the morning on LOTS of coffee. To the Prompter: I hope you like what has become of your prompt, and to everyone else. Enjoy. 
> 
> Okay, I'm going. Bye!

~PROLOGUE~

“The next station is Holborn. Please mind the gap between the train and the platform.” Says the voiceover the train’s tannoy as they near Holborn station. The tutor gathered all her students before exiting the train and counting everyone before guiding them across the tunnels of Holborn station towards the Piccadilly line trains. The London Underground was always disgustingly crowded on Monday mornings, bodies trying to squeeze through the narrow artificial underground passages to get the train that would get them to the job they dislike. Lucy was never a big fan of the Tube, she didn't fancy being 150 feet below the ground with a bunch of annoyed faces to keep her company, but she needed to pass, so she just had to suck it up and follow her tutor.

Once they left South Kensington Station it was clear that it probably wasn't ideal weather for a trip, not that the weather was any better when they left the college. All Lucy could think was:

if it’s going to be this cold, it might as well snow.

Sure it was The V&A, and sure Lucy loved her art, but on a gloomy day like this where the fog was so thick you could cut it with a knife, and it was raining buckets it is best to stay home; then again almost every winter day in London was like this. If growing up in London taught her one thing, it was to always carry an umbrella.

It was a short walk to The Victoria and Albert Museum and once the class go there the tutor handed out the sheets with their tasks and told them to meet back at the entrance before letting them into the exhibition.

‘The History of Kardovia’ was its title. containing the works brought over from Kardovia, a small European island wedged between Lithuania and Sweden. Or so the tutor said. She was literally a walking Encyclopedia.

The tasks were always the same on their college trips. Take pictures, draw the things you’re taking pictures of, take more pictures, and it always ends up getting to the point where everyone decides that they have enough pictures and drawings for them to pass the criteria and just ignore the tasks for the rest of the trip.

The hall was filled with all sorts of items shipped over from the island; delicately done oil paintings of landscapes, architecture and people, beautiful vases covered in peonies, tulips, roses and other flowers that Lucy couldn’t even begin to name, and other art pieces that screamed 15th century Europe. It was all very impressive, but it was just like any other exhibition based in Europe. Walking around nothing really caught her attention, except the painting at the end of the hall that is. It was obvious that the people portrayed in it were important, the painting was one of the grandest in the entire hall; each line, each curve, each brush stroke have been done with precision, the colours were chosen after careful consideration, all of this encased in a frame of gold.

Lucy approached the painting wishing to examine it further.

“It's pretty isn’t it?”

Alarmed, Lucy immediately turned around to spot her tutor, Karen. She was looking at the painting with a sort of dreamy look in her eyes. Karen peeled her eyes off of the painting and looked at her.

“Do you know the story behind this painting?” asked Karen.

Lucy just shook her head. No.

The tutor nodded to herself and stared back at the artwork.

“I like it though.” The student spoke up, suddenly feeling awkward in the silence that followed.

It wasn't a lie. The painting was pretty. The stokes of oil paint and the texture of the paintbrush evident on the canvas.

“what do you think is shown here?” She asked.

“Um... “ Lucy paused, unsure of what to say. Was she supposed to answer describing the formal element or just in general?

“A family portrait of a happy family?” She settled with.

“they do look happy, don’t they? All smiles and youth, but once you fill in the blanks that the King was a tyrant with many secrets and the Prince was defiant and extremely suspicious of those around him, and suddenly the family doesn’t look so happy anymore. It’s all about context.”

The family looked absolutely stunning in the painting. The King looked exactly how a King should, the man screamed authority and the Prince appeared to have stepped straight out of a fairytale.

Lucy looked down at the information plaque under the painting.

 _Unknown_  
_Kardovian Royal Family (King Artur, Prince Chanyeol)_  
_1604 - 5_  
_Oil on canvas_

“Was there no Queen?” Asked Lucy.

“Sadly, Queen Mirabelle fell ill and passed away when the Prince was just a young child.” Answered the Tutor. “The King raised his son by himself, with the help of the palace personnel that is.”

Karen walked over to another painting. this one wasn’t as grand as the one of the Royal Family, it was more modest. The piece portrayed a man that appeared to be running through a field of wheat, the green of the forest in the background of the painting contrasted wonderfully with the yellow and the beige of the field. The man could not be seen as he was decked out from head to toe in black and all that could be seen was the flow of his midnight cloak that trailed behind him.

 _Yixing Zhang 1584 - 1605_  
_The Apprentice 1605_  
_Oil on canvas_

Read the information plaque.

“They may not look like it, but these two paintings hold so much history. A story that outlived its protagonists and still continues to live today. A story of murder, betrayal and love so deep you can easily drown in it, would you like to hear it?”

Lucy wordlessly nodded.

“The people knew him as ‘The Assassin’s Apprentice’”

~1~

10 minutes. Baekhyun had 10 minutes to get the job done. 10 minutes to get in and out of the mansion unnoticed. The number of times he’s walked past that house was astonishing; he knew every crook and cranny, where the best place to enter was, and the quickest way out.

Before the servants retired for the night they would open the windows to allow air into the house. that’s how he got inside, he could of went in through the roof, or try to pry the windows open, but that would make too much noise and cut his 10 minutes to no time. That was his best option.

Every second has been taken into consideration and 10 minutes was the most time they could muster. What some of the clients don’t understand is that it takes weeks, sometimes months to plan an assassination; Baekhyun couldn't just go in and kill them. He needs to make sure he didn't get caught, what was the point of making money if he wasn't alive to spend it? He also needed to find a time where his target was the most vulnerable when they were most exposed.

This had become near to impossible, with the arrival of Princess Analyn of the Andorian Isles security has been at an all-time high, twice as many guards were patrolling the streets more often. It was hard getting around unnoticed. The princess wasn’t supposed to meet their Prince for another five years, but from what Baekhyun heard the situation in Andoria had gotten worse, the Country was running out of resources and their people began to riot, so they moved to the wedding up.

Honestly, Baekhyun felt sorry for the poor girl. Thirteen years old and shes being shipped off to a foreign land to get married to an older man she has never met. Baekhyun had no intention of killing her, she didn’t need an assassin on her hands.

His current target was a Lord with too much money. The maid that found him didn’t have much to offer in terms of coin, but after the horrors, she described the Assassin was persuaded to allow a discount. Luring young servant girls into his bed against their will, with threats of being fired if they told anyone. One fat bastard less for him and the staff of the house to worry about.

Baekhyun killed for a living, but this man still insisted that he was a good person.

Sitting on the roof of the house next to his target’s, Baekhyun waited. A black cloak wrapped around his shoulders blending him into the night, a hood hiding the man’s face from view, a dagger hidden in his boot.

It was a pleasant summer night. Warm, with a light breeze gently blowing around him, clouds were nowhere to be seen. The moon and the twinkling stars were his only company. The sight of the night sky was truly magnificent, but Baekhyun did not have time to admire its beauty. Losing his focus for even a minute could be fatal. He was a man on a mission.

“You need to be smart in this field. One wrong move and you might as well be a dead man walking. Be smart Baekhyun, I do not wish to be mentoring a dead man.” His mentor would say to him. He had to be smart.

He was known as ‘The Assassin’s Apprentice.’ a deadly killer in training, and he could make no mistake.

Once the window was opened, Baekhyun sprang to action; getting down from his hiding place the Assassin jumped down for the fence with practised agility and ran towards the open window making sure no one saw him he jumped inside.

Now that he has gotten the difficult part out of the way, he could calmly complete his job.

~

Baekhyun weaved expertly through the narrow alleyways of the town. The Watchmen haven’t been alerted, but once they do get called they would come for him; they always did, and when they did he needed to be as far away as possible.

Luckily the assassination went smoothly, so he needn’t worry too much about anyone finding the Lord at this hour of the night, yet it never hurt to be careful.

Adrenaline pumped through the Assassin’s veins as he jogged through the back streets of the city; There was barely anyone around apart from the local drunks and the prostitutes coming out for the night.

For once Baekhyun felt that he’ll manage to get out of the town unnoticed, but as he turned the next corner he could hear footsteps, just a light pitter patter on the cobblestone path. As Baekhyun picked up the pace the footsteps got louder until Baekhyun could  
hear them running with him. Baekhyun knew these streets pretty well, they were like his second home so losing the stranger wasn’t very difficult… or so he thought. Suddenly there was a sharp tug on his hood and before the Assassin had time to panic, his hood was pulled off and his face became visible. Panic wasn’t the right word to describe how he felt in that moment. There was dread on his face mixed with unimaginable fear.

The figure was close, too close. It loomed over his as some sort of Grim Reaper. It was too dark for Baekhyun to make out the man’s facial features, and he didn't have time to speculate what he looked like. He has seen Baekhyun’s face, he knows his identity.

“You’re the As-” the man didn’t get enough time to formulate the rest of his sentence as Baekhyun pulled out his dagger from his sleeve and using the butt of the intricately carved blade swung it straight at the man’s temple with all his might, hoping that it would be enough to knock him out.

He then collapsed and Baekhyun backed away from the man on the wet cobblestone and disappeared into the darkness, wishing that he hit him hard enough for him to forget Baekhyun’s face.

~

They resided on a small farm just outside the main City, where streets that were filled with market stalls selling all sorts of treasures, and buildings that ranged from small and packed together to large enough to house multiple families were replaced by golden fields of Barley and Wheat and the vivid green of the forests surrounding the Kingdom. It was Just him, Yixing, Jongdae and the man that brought them all together, August, an old retired Assassin, the best of his kind. The old man treated all three boys as his children despite Jongdae being his only biological child.

They fit together like a puzzle, all different shapes and sizes, yet perfect together. Jongdae’s mother passed away from disease when the boy was still an infant. The assassin - then farmer - was struggling to keep afloat, the baby demanded so much and selling produce at the market just wasn’t enough to provide for him and his young son. the man began taking up odd jobs, one day someone offered him a large sum of money to kill a man, the Widower wasn’t sure how or why the man found him, but since he was desperate he did it. This brought more client, and before he knew it he became the infamous assassin since usual assassin’s get caught within a matter of weeks, months if they are lucky, August managed to never get caught, even after taking Baekhyun and Yixing he was still going strong. That was what got Baekhyun interested in becoming the next Assassin. Growing up the young boy idolised the Assassin, where many saw a monster Baekhyun saw a hero, a knight in shining Armour to those who did not have a voice or have been wronged. Baekhyun wanted to be like that too, and so his training began.

Their farm was quite modest despite the amount of money they make from the work that they do.

“We need to make ourselves small. The minute we start to make ourselves bigger they’ll see us as a threat, and we don’t want them to see us as a threat, we don’t want them to see us period. Do you understand Baekhyun?” His mentor. The owner of the farm would say to him.

“I do.” He would say back. Being seen meant they knew who he was. Being seen meant he would be in danger. So they stayed in their quaint little farm, just the four of them. They owned some of the grains that grew in the fields and had a vegetable patch behind the barn where they kept their few animals. That was enough for them.

Walking into the Kitchen, Baekhyun spotted Jongdae hunched over his breakfast. Jongdae was the brains behind his work. He was the one among the three of them who would collect all the information about each one of their targets and report it back to him. Jongdae was Baekhyun’s Mentor’s only son, a few years older than Yixing and he. Jongdae wasn’t very stealthy, the man moved around like he had two left feet, therefore the task of actually carrying out the Assassinations was left to Baekhyun, but what he lacked in stealth he made up with intelligence.

“Baekhyun! How lovely of you to join me. did everything go well last night?” Asked Jongdae.

The assassin walked over to the table taking a seat next to the other man. He picked up a pear that was in front of him and bit into the juicy piece of fruit, the juices ran down his chin, lazily Baekhyun wiped off the moisture off his chin with the back of his sleeve.

“Did everything go well last night?” At Jongdae’s words, Baekhyun remembered the tall figure in the alley, how he had seen Baekhyun’s face and how he had swung his dagger at him. The assassin had an internal dilemma. Should he or should he not tell Jongdae about the man in the alley? He pondered for a while before deciding that it wasn’t necessary.

Baekhyun smirked cockily at the other man present and threw his legs onto the table. “Come on dear brother. I’m not some ameture. Of course, everything went well!” Baekhyun Exclaimed, taking another bite of the succulent fruit.

Jongdae rolled his eyes. “Legs off the table. Where you raised in a barn?”

“I’ve been raised around you, and that’s close enough to a barn animal.” He chided.

All Jongdae could do in response was shake his head.

“Anyway, where’s Yixing? I haven’t seen him all morning.” Baekhyun wondered.

“He said he was going up on the hill to paint. Go call him down to eat, will ya? He has been there since he woke up.” Answered back Jongdae around a mouthful of food.

“Will do, brother,” Baekhyun said as he got up and left the Kitchen, in search of Yixing.

~

He and Yixing had known each other ever since they could remember. Both boys were left at the Assassin’s door as infants. The man had taken them in immediately without questioning where they came from or who left them there. By then he had become more stable and was able to handle the two extra mouths he now had to feed.

Yixing didn’t agree with Baekhyun’s line of work, therefore he stayed out of anything related to the assassinations. He was an artist, a simple man who enjoyed how colour was applied to canvas and how the paintbrush glided over it. All Yixing ever did was help the owner of the farm around with tending to the animals, their farmhouse was decorated with Yixing’s pieces.

“How’s the painting going, Yixing?” Asked Baekhyun after he has trekked up the hill. Their farm was situated at a base of a hill and since the hill gave a great view of the fields Yixing always enjoyed to climb it and paint.

“It’s going great. Get chased out of the town more often by the Watchmen and I might finish it before the farmers harvest the wheat.” Joked the Artist.

Baekhyun chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind. Jongdae told you to come down to eat.”

~

“There was another one last night.” Said Yixing. All four of them sat around the table eating. Baekhyun and Yixing sat opposite each other and so did Jongdae and his father.

That caught Baekhyun’s attention. “Another murder? when?”

“Last night. The man was once again young and an orphan.” Added the artist.

Baekhyun sighs deeply and dropped his bread back into his plate. “They’re always young and with no family,” mumbled Baekhyun, mostly to himself.

“Baekhyun, why do you care? It’s probably just another assassin, just let it go.” Butted in Jongdae.

“No Jongdae, if it were the work of an assassin the victims would be random, They’d have nothing in common aside from maybe they were rich. These are all young men without parents. I’m telling you, this is the work of a Serial killer, or… or…”

“Or nothing. Finish your food, I need your help in the market today.” Butted in the old man.

The table became quiet once more. Strange things have been going on in the Kingdom. A series of killing of young orphan boys unnerved Baekhyun, the others were convinced that it was just another Assassin and that they should just stay out of it, but not Baekhyun, Baekhyun was determined to get to the bottom of this.

~

Crime wasn’t uncommon in the city and although the Watchman did their best to detect any criminal behaviour within its walls, Baekhyun knew better than anyone that they weren’t always successful. So it didn’t come to him as a surprise when he heard a shout of a young woman followed by hurried footsteps going towards him.

It was a regular morning. Baekhyun and Jongdae were at the market setting up their vegetable stand among the other merchants selling all sorts of goods, from fresh bread and pastries to grand colourful pieces to liven up the homes of the more wealthy patrons.

“Jongdae stay here.” He ordered as he dashed after the culprit.

The thief tried to weave his way out of being chased, but he had no match for Baekhyun who knew the streets like the back of his hand. The culprit didn’t stand a chance.

As Baekhyun brought back the purse he realised who it belonged to. As soon as the Princess came into view Baekhyun Baekhyun bowed.

“This is yours, your Highness,” he said.

“Oh, Thank you so much!” The young girl squealed in glee. “That was rather impressive, the way to darted after the thief, and you caught him so quickly!”

“Well, I didn’t catch him, Ma’am.” The man added as he handed over the purse.

“What’s your name?”Asked the Princess.

He didn’t dare look at her. “Baekhyun Byun, Your Highness.”

The Princess giggled. “Well Mr Byun, we could use someone of your skill in the palace.”

“I’m just a lowly son of a farmer, I do not belong in the palace, Ma’am,” Baekhyun replied, keeping his head bowed.

“I beg to differ Mr Byun.” Was all the girl said before she moved on and disappeared among the stalls of the market with her entourage.

~

A crime of passion. An unfaithful man, a jealous wife; that’s his next job. It's truly fascinating how the rich are willing to spend money on things like this. They can't get what they want, so they hire those who can give it to them. they hire people like Baekhyun to carry out all their dirty deeds.

He was supposed to follow the husband and the mistress and carry out the assassination at the destination. Baekhyun got sucked into their conversation as he followed the pair and the more he listened to them, the less he felt bad for being their Grim Reaper, listening to the kinds of things the husband was saying about his wife was sickening and the mistress just giggled and laughed along.

She was a pretty woman, one of high class if her clothes said anything, but her face ticked Baekhyun off. Her face carried signs of arrogance and vanity, it was like she knew that she was beautiful and she used that to hurt people just because she could.

He was back in the murky alleys of the City, keeping a safe distance from his prey. It was a rather pleasant night, a little windy in the ally, but the weather was favourable nonetheless.

He followed them a bit longer until they came to a tattered inn. Some windows have been boarded up, judging for the outside of the establishment it couldn't fit more than two rooms.

It was a miracle that the couple didn’t plan on heading up immediately, which gave Baekhyun just the right amount of time to scale the building into their room and hide.

It wasn’t long before the lovers reintroduced themselves.

The room was obviously unfit for someone whose name carried strength. Walls were moulding, and there was a lingering scent of cigarette smoke and a musk Baekhyun could not pinpoint, but a smell that still made him sick to his stomach.

“Have you seen the reports of those orphan killings? Said the Husband lighting a cigar. Baekhyun stilled.

The Mistress helped the man out of his coat. “Oh, how could I not. They’re everywhere! It must be one of those Assassins.”

The man turned to his woman and pulled her close. “Oh darling, you’re so Naive. I have been told that the orders are being given from within the palace itself.”

The Lovers immediately started to what they obviously cam there to do, and Baekhyun decided that he should finish this before things got too steamy. It would be over quickly, he didn’t want to spend more time with them than he had to.

~

“I need to get into the palace.” Were the first words Baekhyun uttered as he burst through the door of their home.

August always waited for Bekhyun to come home from his jobs, the man had trouble sleeping knowing that one of his sons was out in the City late at night all by himself, so he sat in the front room, with a book as he waited for Baekhyun to return. Baekhyun’s statement did not seem to faze him.

Baekhyun, what do I always tell you?” Asked the old man without lifting his eyes from the page he was reading.

Baekhyun sighed. “You do not wish to be mentoring a dead man.”

“You’re an Assassin dear child, a cold-blooded man who kills in exchange for gold coins. I’m sorry to say that you are in no place to be playing a hero.” He gets up and pats the boy on the cheek. “Get some rest my boy, we’re heading back to the market early in the morning.” He said before heading off to bed.

~

As if a gift from the kind god above his answer came in the form of a messenger from the Palace asking him to be the prince’s personal guard, as requested by Princess Analyn.

~2~

The Palace seemed to shine a little brighter tonight; carriages came and went as colourful characters stepped out of them. Gentlemen with their impossibly tight tights, and ladies with extravagant ball gowns that looked incredibly difficult to move in, all of them had their faces covered by masks of different shapes and sizes. And among them was Baekhyun. It took forever the get the August’s approval for him to take the Princess’ offer, but once the three of them managed to convince him the man did not wish for his son to stand out among those who have money and status; he pulled out an outfit that he hasn’t touched in God know how long. It was a suit that one of his female clients have given him. At first, the Farmer wasn’t sure he’d ever need it, but the clothing came in handy when he needed to blend in with the rich while on the job.

Masquerades were not uncommon in their Kingdom, the rich always had one thing or another to celebrate, but this one was supposed to be special, as this one was celebrating the engagement of their beloved prince.

In reality, Baekhyun didn’t know anything about the prince, he knew that he was an only child, the sole heir to the throne and that he is supposedly very handsome, but that’s where the knowledge ends.

He followed the messenger's guide and went around the side of the palace where he was to meet the servant who is to hand him a mask and let him into the ball.

The servant leads him through the winding narrow passages of the back. It was the same palace, yet it felt like a completely different place. The light coming from the front don't dare touch anything back there. The kitchens were filled with burning fires, sweaty cooks and servers, Maids and other servants milled around them looking as if they didn’t know what they were doing, yet knowing exactly where they needed to be. Baekhyun looked at this organised mess with astonishment until the boy urged him to keep moving.

“Put this on and don’t take it off until it is announced that you should.” Said the servant boy handing the assassin a mask. It wasn’t anything special. Just a plain black mask, carved so that only his mouth, nose and his left cheek were showing.

“I know how masquerades work, Child.” Stated the assassin as he took the mask and securing it on his face before entering the ballroom.

The Hall was even more splendid than he imagined it to be. The floors were well scrubbed, the walls were pristine with the most beautiful gold carvings of flowers that were so realistic that the man wondered if they were actual flowers dipped in liquid gold. For the first time in his life, Baekhyun actually felt small.

He no longer was ‘The Assassin’s Apprentice’. He was Baekhyun Byun, The Personal Guard of His Royal Highness Prince Chanyeol.

~

For a while Baekhyun was at a loss, He stood there in the corner and quietly watched the dancing figures in the centre of the of the ballroom, Maybe made conversation with a lady or two, until a young man approached him.

“Aren’t you bored here all by yourself?” He asked.

In Baekhyun’s humble opinion the man looked better than any other man present. Hair pushed back, clothes immaculate. Just like everyone else in the Ballroom, he dressed to impress. Decked out in what obviously his best clothes, a simple black mask decorated his face.

All in all the man was a fairytale.

Baekhyun is brought back to the party once he noticed that the man was waiting for an answer.

“I prefer solitude. Parties aren't really my thing.” Baekhyun answered turning away, hoping that the man would be enough prompting for the man to leave.

But he didn’t.

The man simply moved closer to Baekhyun and together the continued to watch the party together.

“Have you seen the gardens?” The man asked out of nowhere.

“What?” Baekhyun really wasn’t interested in conversing with this man. His prime interest in anyone in the room was which one of these bastards was killing innocents, but the man who was now in front of him would leave him be.

But alas, after a little convincing Baekhyun found himself walking among a maze of rose bushes with the tall man beside him.

Baekhyun later found that talking to the man wasn’t so bad, all it took was a pleasant conversation - and maybe a bit of alcohol - to get Baekhyun to warm up to him. He realised it was better out here than inside.

They walked around for a bot longer before the Palace’s grand clock tower became to chime.

“I guess it’s time to remove our masks.” said the man.

“I guess it is.”

The man took his off first revealing plump lips, large eyes that seemed to twinkle with the stars in the sky.

Once Baekhyun’s mask was gone the smile on the man’s face disappeared with it. He studied the assassin, which for some reason caused Baekhyun unspeakable anxiety.

“Is something the matter?” He asked.

“Have we met before?” Asked the man.

“I don’t believe we have.” there was a pause. Baekhyun didn’t know what to make of the expression on his face, so he just awkwardly stuck his hand out. “Baekhyun Byun. Nice to meet you.” But the man did not react, he just stared on at Baekhyun’s face.

“Prince Chanyeol!” came a shout from behind the pair.

Prince?

“It’s time to address the party about your and the Princesses engagement.” said the other man.

The prince peeled his eyes off Baekhyun’s face. “Of course Advisor Kim.” said the Prince before leaving the gardens and heading back to the ballroom.

As Baekhyun was about to follow Chanyeol, who he now knew was the Prince he was supposed to keep an eye on, he was stopped by the advisor.

“The King wishes to speak to you have a word with you after the party.” Was all that Advisor Kim said before leaving.

~

The Royals stood on a stage that elevated them above everyone else. He recognised the young Princess that stood next to the Prince. He remembered her from the Market. Their Address was short, all it did was introduce the Princess, and inform everyone about the engagement which was news everyone already knew, so in Baekhyun's opinion, it was kind of pointless.

His meeting with the King was also brief, but there was one thing that the monarch said that kind of threw Baekhyun off.

“Your Father was a good man, Baekhyun. A really good man.”

“I’m well aware of that, sire.”

“Too bad he let all that ‘good’ turn him stupid. He could of not only been good. He could have been great.”

Did the King know August?

~

Baekhyun’s first months as a Palace guard were rather boring. He would spend his days shadowing the Prince - who he had learned was a what he expected a boy who had grown up with every comfort life could offer to be like, stuck up and with little regard for those who had provided those comforts to him. Naturally, that made Baekhyun dislike the man. He wasn’t the same person as the one he met at the party.

It was just another day. The Prince was working in his study, while Baekhyun stood guard outside.  
There was a shout as the man called for his guard to come inside.

The Prince’s study was gloomy in the night time. The only thing providing light was the sole candle Prince Chanyeol had on his desk, only illuminating the Prince and the documents he was looking over. it wasn’t a grand room; the walls were lined with bookshelves that were cast with shadows, a mahogany desk sat in the centre of the room, and a single window was on the right wall.

It seemed like forever before Chanyeol looked up at Baekhyun.

The Prince studied at the Guard silently and for some reason that made Baekhyun uncomfortable. The way Royal’s calculating eyes were looking him up and down unsettled him.

“Why are you always so hostile?”

“I’ve been tasked with keeping you within the walls of the Palace. I don’t need to like you to do my job efficiently.” Baekhyun paused. “Your Highness.” He added belatedly as he bowed.

Chanyeol was at a loss for words, he was unused to being spoken to in such a disrespectful manner, more so by his staff.

“You are dismissed.” He simply said before turning away from his guard, who bowed and exited the Prince’s study.

~

Baekhyun’s job went by uneventfully for a while longer. The people around them behaved, and so did Chanyeol.

The Prince would usually stay quiet while working in his study, completely immersed in whatever document he was overlooking, while he stood by the door and watched him, words were almost never exchanged. So it was quite a surprise when the Prince spoke up to him.

“Aren’t you bored. All you ever do is stand by the door and watch me work.” Said Prince Chanyeol, without looking up from his work.

“It is my duty to make sure you're safe at all times, your Majesty.”

“I don’t think much can hurt me here, and if anything does happen there is another guard outside the door. Why don’t you go and accompany the Princess? To the Gardens, maybe?”

“Your Highness-” The Assassin tried to protest but was immediately cut off.

“Baekhyun. That's an order.” said the young Prince calmly as he turned back to his documents.

Baekhyun sighed. “As you wish, Sire.”

~

The Princess was just as pure and bright as the flowers that surrounded them. She was mature for her age, though with an intelligent twinkle in her eye. Her dress covered in pink and Gold looked wonderful on her. Her golden curls cascaded down her shoulders, and the lace parasol she carried in her hands created floral patterns on her delicate facial features once the sun peeked out from the clouds.

They didn’t speak as they walked through the Queen’s garden, the roses seemed more vibrant today, more fragrant. The leaves more green.

“How are you liking your time in the palace?” She asked.

The Princess was surprisingly easy to talk to, it didn’t even feel like she was a royal. She was humble, and she was genuinely kind.

All Baekhyun can remember thinking was that the Prince didn’t deserve her.

“I’m still adjusting to it, Your Highness, but I’m getting there.” Answered Baekhyun.

Princess Analyn was probably the only person he actually liked.

“It’s so nice to have you here Baekhyun. I was so surprised when I spotted you at the Masquerade!”

Baekhyun was shocked. “You mean it wasn’t you who requested me, Your Highness?”

She just shook her head. “But I’m happy you’re here.”

The Princess suddenly stopped walking and stared off into the distance. “What's wrong, Madame?” Baekhyun wondered.

“Is that the Prince?”

Turning to where the Princess was looking Baekhyun jumped into action. Prince Chanyeol was dressed in a black cloak running in the general direction of the main gate of the Palace.

Quickly grabbing the closest Guard and telling him to watch the Princess he dashed after the Prince.

The Prince noticed his personal guard. “Shit.” He swore as he picked up the pace.

“I love my son very much. He is my only child and I only want what’s best for him. Do you understand what I’m saying.” the King asked.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“My son is really… How do I put it? Adventurous. He likes to leave the Palace when no one notices, usually at night. I want you to make sure he stays within these walls.”

“I understand.”

Baekhyun remembered his conversation with the King. He couldn’t let the Prince leave.

“Close the gate!” Yelled Baekhyun hoping the guards in charge of lifting and lowering the bridge heard him.

They didn’t.

As a last attempt Baekhyun pushed himself beyond the limit, the man ran at a speed he didn’t know he was capable of. The Assassin leapt forward and with extraordinary luck, landed on top of the Prince.

Baekhyun turned the Prince over to face him and sat on the Chanyeol’s torso, pressing his arms to his side with his sides.

Seeing the Prince get manhandled in such a way obviously unnerved the Palace guards who were watching them, and Chanyeol noticed this.

“It’s alright, it’s just a little game we like to play. I guess Mr Byun won this round.” The Prince joked as he tried to squirm out of Baekhyun’s hold.

The Assassin pressed is hands on the Prince’s shoulders to keep him still “Where the fuck do you think you’re going.” Baekhyun hissed, clearly not amused by the joke.

“Am I not allowed to take a stroll through my Kingdom?” Chanyeol asked cockily.

Baekhyun dug his nails into the Prince’s shoulders. The look on his face screamed that he didn’t appreciate what the Prince was doing.

The Prince winced.

“Why so rough, Mr Byun?” The prince flirted, giving Baekhyun a lopsided smile. “I didn’t know you liked that kind of stuff.”

“Get up.” Said Baekhyun simply before pulling the prince back to his feet and dragging him inside the Palace with remarkable force, to get changed so they could both go meet the Princess back at the gardens.

~

To Chanyeol this became a game of cat and mouse, it has gotten to a point where he didn’t even try to get away anymore.

And along with that, other feelings bloomed. He couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment that he began to fall for the Prince, it all started off with innocent teasing, which escalated into flirting.

As per usual, Baekhyun was once again back to chasing the giddy Prince through the halls of the palace, when the Prince suddenly took a sharp turn and disappeared from Baekhyun's sight around a corner. The Assassin followed him and stilled. the hall around that corner was completely empty except for the paintings of Chanyeol's relatives, but there was no sign of where the prince had gone, Baekhyun didn't even have time to react and before he knew it he was being pulled into a nearby empty room. He felt himself being pushed against the door and a warm chest pressed against his.

“Be smart Baekhyun...”

His mentor’s words rang through Baekhyun’s head as Chanyeol kissed him. He knew that this wasn’t the wisest thing to be doing, but he couldn’t pull away. Can something really be this wrong, if it felt so right? was it so wrong for Baekhyun to want to feel love too?

With those words in mind, the Assassin grabbed the Prince by the neck and deepened the kiss; pushing his Mentor’s words to the back of his mind.

... I do not wish to mentor a dead man…

and that lead to full-blown make-out sessions in dark halls of the Palace. They had gotten lost in the throngs of passion and have forgotten their goals, all wrapped up and cosy in their little bubble, until one day.

Baekhyun was accompanying Chanyeol and the Princess in the gardens when it happened. It was a rather pleasant day. The sun was smiling at them from above, gracing them with her light.

It was seemingly a normal day. Baekhyun was accompanying the Royal couple on their daily walk through the palace gardens.

“Your Highness, may I speak to you guard?” The princess suddenly spoke up.  
“Privately.”

The Prince looked at the Princess at a loss of what to do glanced at an equally confused Baekhyun who just nodded. Chanyeol immediately schooled his expression “Of course.” he said before leaving the two alone.

Once the Price was out of sight, the Princess walked in the opposite direction, around the side of the palace towards the Rose Garden. There were a few other people milling around the grounds; ladies going on a stroll and servants tending to the gardens so they maintain their vibrant beauty.

“Do you believe in true love, Baekhyun?” Analyn asked.

Utterly confused by the question he stared at the Princess’s back.

“Well? Do you Mr Byun?” she asked again.

“I’ve never experienced it so I wouldn’t know.” Baekhyun paused. “But I’m sure it exists somewhere, why do you ask, your Highness?”

She stopped so suddenly that Baekhyun had to try not to bump into her, before she faced him, a gentle smile gracing her young face. “You love him, don’t you?”

A sort of paralyzing shock ran through Baekhyun. He laughed nervously. “I don’t think I understan-” Before the guard could complete his lost reply, the princess dropped her parasol to the ground and pulled him down into a warm hug.

“He isn’t an easy man to love. I would know.”She pulled back and gazed back at the man in front of her, a man who has reduced himself back to a young boy in her presence.

“You have no idea.” Baekhyun gave in.

~

Chanyeol was aimlessly wandering the gardens while he waited for his guard and the princess to return, occasionally bowing at the few higher up that  
he passed along the way. He hadn’t walked far when he heard a piercing scream sound from the direction that Baekhyun and Analyn went. Chanyeol’s instincts kicked in and he dashed towards the Palace once more, an unexplainable fear washed over him as his thoughts immediately rushed towards Baekhyun, surely the first person that should be on his mind would be his soon to be Bride, right?

A crowd has formed around the base of one of the towers of the palace.

“Move. Move!” The Prince said pushing his way through the crowd, but it wasn’t a hurt Baekhyun that met him at the front.

There in front of him laid the mangled corpse of his cousin, the only person Chanyeol dared to call a friend in this Hellhole.

Junmyeon Kim, his Advisor. Chanyeol couldn’t even recognise him.

The voices of the people around him all blurred to white noise, all he could hear was his heart beating faster and faster, and the blood rushing in his ears. He couldn’t see the Princess who was hiding behind Baekhyun who was covered in blood that was not his, face white as cloth.

Advisor Kim?” Chanyeol croaked.

“Advisor Kim!”

Chanyeol dropped to his knees and crawled towards his friend. Junmyeon! Junmyeon!” The Prince chanted the name over and over again, the severity of what he just saw finally hitting him.

The Prince wailed with Junmyeon in his arms, still calling the Advisor’s name.

The Advisor’s body was crushed beyond recognition. Arms and legs bent at impossible angles, face so bloody that you couldn’t make out a single feature, and ye Chanyeol held him, he held him until Baekhyun pulled him away so that the guards could take the corpse.

~

Baekhyun stepped into the bedchamber. the prince looked tired. An accident, that’s what they were told happened, just a horrible accident. Baekhyun remembered standing near the tower when something fell with a massive force and hit the ground splashing anyone with a close vicinity with blood. They were told that the Advisor “slipped and fell out the window of the highest level of the tower.

Chanyeol was sitting on his bed when Baekhyun came in. The Assassin took a seat next to Chanyeol and without saying anything, pulled him into his embrace. There will be a time for words, but it wasn’t now. Baekhyun placed Chanyeol’s head on his shoulder and he held him.

“I know you're the Assassin’s Apprentice.”

“What are you-”

“Don’t bother denying it, I saw your face that night in the alley, it was me you knocked out. I remember everything.”

Baekhyun visibly paled.

“I am though willing to pardon you. if you help me catch whoever is killing all these men. You see my first suspect was you, that's why I haven’t mentioned any of this information with you, but I know you’re just as curious as I.”

“The killer is within the Palace walls.” Baekhyun blurted out.

Chanyeol told him about their unofficial first meeting, and why he always tries to sneak out of the Palace, why he was out on that fateful night.

“I have a lead. On the night you knocked me out I was going to see her. Her name is Lady Genevieve. She was the sister of my Father’s first Advisor’s wife. Both the Advisor and his wife were beheaded for treason many years ago, but on the night she was arrested and executed the wife had rushed to see her sister with two children, one hers and one, not hers, but when she left she didn’t have either.” said Chanyeol.

Baekhyun pulled away. “How do you know all this stuff?”

Chanyeol went silent and bowed his head. “Junmyeon informed me about the Advisor and his wife, and Lady Genevieve’s neighbour told me what happened on that night.”

“Hey.” Baekhyun got on the ground in front of Chanyeol and gently placed his hands on either side of the Prince’s face and using his thumbs wiped the fresh tears that had fallen onto the Prince’s cheeks. “I believe we owe Lady Genevieve a visit.”

~3~

Right as the sunset and the Palace went to sleep, Baekhyun and Chanyeol left.

Getting out from within the Palace walls proved to be more difficult than they thought.

A week after Advisor Kim’s funeral the two of them decided that the Palace would've moved on to other gossip and the guards would be less alert.

Chanyeol led his personal guard through the maze of halls and tunnels of the Palace that he knew were less guarded, or weren’t guarded at all towards one of the walls of the garden that have begun to crumble and was now low enough to climb over, close to the main gate.

They were almost at the wall when a shout came from behind them.

“Who goes there?”

A guard. Both Chanyeol and Baekhyun froze, lost on what to do to get out of this situation when Baekhyun got an idea. “Play along.” He whispered

Baekhyun turned around to face the guard. “The Prince couldn’t sleep due to what had last week, and wished to go for a walk to clear his head.” The Assassin said confidently.

Chanyeol then turned around and took off the hood of the cloak he was wearing. “I’d like to be left alone with my guard please.”

Stunned, the guard just bowed before hurrying off back to his post.

“That was good.” Chanyeol commented.

“Move before he tells someone we’re out here.”

~

Lady Genevieve’s face was aged, but it was clear to see that she had been beautiful in her youth.

She had opened the door in her dressing gown, clearly, she had been sleeping already, but she seemed completely awake now as he stared at Baekhyun.

“You look so much like your parents.” The woman said.

Parents?

Her was voice barely above a whisper as she extended her hand to place it on the Assassin’s cheek. Backing away Baekhyun instinctively reached for his dagger hidden in the waistband of his trousers and seeing that she has spooked the boy she backed away. “What can I help you boys with?”

“We’d like to ask you some questions about your sister.” Chanyeol had said. “May we come in?”

She moved aside to let her guests in. “Of course.”

She led them to a lavish looking living room and sat them down. “May I get you two anything? Tea? Some cake perhaps?”

“Oh no, we won't be long.” added the Prince.

She sat down opposite them and would not stop staring at Baekhyun with a fond smile on her face. Baekhyun couldn’t take it anymore.

“Do we know each other?” He asked.

The smile was gone, replaced with embarrassment. “Silly me, of course, you wouldn’t remember, You were just a babe.”

“Remember what?”

“My sister and her husband were your parents. Your mother came to me in the middle of the night with you and another baby on the night of her death. She seemed as if she was in a hurry.” The woman in front of them paused as if trying to recall the events of the night. “She wanted me to hide the both of you, somewhere where no one would look, I remember being really confused as to why she was doing this, she looked like she had gone mad, she told me that the Palace has gone mad!” She called out, before settling back down in her seat with a glum expression on her face. “I was informed that she had been beheaded the following day… That was when I took you and the other boy to the farmer.”

“Did your sis- I mean.. My Mother, did she give you a name of the baby?”

The Lady nodded. “Yixing. She had told me his mother had died during childbirth, but when I asked about his father she had said that it was...”

“Who?” Chanyeol urged.

“The King.”

Baekhyun was suddenly hit with a wave of realisation, and Chanyeol noticed it on his face immediately.

“What is it? Do you know him?”

“Your Father was a good man, Baekhyun. A really good man.”

“I’m well aware of that sire.”

“Too bad he let all that ‘good’ turn him stupid. He could of not only been good. He could have been great.”

Panicked Baekhyun turned to Chanyeol. “We need to go. Now.”

~

Baekhyun ran through the fields that led to his home. The King somehow already knew about Yixing and about who he was. He had invited Baekhyun to the Palace, not Analyn. There was one question Baekhyun still couldn’t answer.

Why?

To get him out of the way.

Baekhyun already had an idea of what was going on here. The King had a bastard son, if word got out about this his authority would weaken, so he tried to kill him while he was still an infant, his mother and father save it and therefore get executed, and the King spends the rest of his life trying to kill the child to preserve his reputation. It seemed as a stretch, but at this point, Baekhyun would believe anything.

And possibly the biggest plot twist of all is that the bastard son is Yixing.

“Yixing! Jongdae! August!” He chanted with hope that they would yell back.

Baekhyun was met with silence. Sometime August would go to markets in different Cities, sometimes even different Kingdoms. Baekhyun hoped that they all just gone on a trip.

The pair burst through the door of the farmhouse. Broken furniture was strewn all around the home. The table they had breakfast at just half a year ago, Yixing’s Paintings were on the floor, some just laying there and some torn to shreds.

“Yixing.” He called out once more. Maybe he was just hiding. He knew that Yixing didn’t like confrontation. He was just hiding. Baekhyun told that to himself over and over hoping to believe it, but his last glimmer of hope was shattered when he opened the last door in the house.

It was their room. His and Yixing’s. Baekhyun had seen splatters of red paint around the room before when Yixing would paint carelessly, but this was not paint. Yixing wasn’t covered in paint, but rather in his own blood.

It was a horrific sight. The gash on his neck was so deep that it seemed that if he was upright his head would be hanging off. The blood was everywhere; on the beds, the walls on all of Yixing’s spare canvases. Flies have started to gather around the corpse. His eyes were still open, mouth frozen in the middle of a petrified scream.

Chanyeol suddenly appeared next to Baekhyun. “Oh my God.”

Baekhyun sunk to his knees and let out a broken scream.

“We have to get him to a healer.” Baekhyun sobbed. “He needs medical attention.” Right as the broken Assassin stood up to pull Yixing’s body up, Chanyeol stopped him.

“Baekhyun, a healer won’t help him.”

“They have to!” He yelled, an endless river of tears streaming down his face. “This wasn’t supposed to happen, he has never harmed anyone, he did not deserve this violent death!”

Chanyeol had no idea on how to comfort the grieving male in front of him. The Prince thought back to when Advisor Kim has been killed, he remembered Baekhyun’s gentle arms around him urging him to place his head on the man’s shoulder. It had felt so nice to be close to someone in such a soft way. He remembered the way Baekhyun treated him, with so much care as if he was made of glass and one wrong move would shatter him completely. Kneeling next to the Assassin, he slowly pulled Baekhyun into an embrace while the other sobbed into his shirt.

Once Baekhyun’s sobs have died down to sniffles The prince mustered up the courage to ask. “What was my brother like?”

“He was kind. Your brother was very Kind.”

There was a beat of silence before Baekhyun spoke up again. “He was an amazing artist, that was what he wanted to do with his life. Paint. He always put so much love and care into his art, it was like he looked at them as his child… ren…” Baekhyun trailed off as if remembering something. abruptly the Assassin got up and began rummaging through the small room.

“What are you looking for?”

“A painting he did of me, I need to find it.”

Baekhyun continued to look for the painting pulling canvases and other unfinished and finished paintings that Yixing has done until he found it.

The painting was completed, all colours were matched and the brush stoked were added. It was the one of him in a field from the watchmen. Baekhyun turned it around.

_The Assassin’s Apprentice 1605_  
_Yixing Zhang_  
_The Kingdom fears him, but my brother’s heart is warm._

A new wave of tears took Baekhyun as he hugged the painting to his chest. “Oh, Yixing…”

~

They couldn’t leave Yixing rotting in a pool of his own blood, so they buried him. On the hill, he used to love so much. Baekhyun took the painting with him. They silently got back to the Prince’s chamber at the break of dawn, the Prince plopped himself down at the foot of his bed while Baekhyun stood in the centre of the room.

“We should get to be-” Chanyeol didn’t even have time to finish what he was saying when a warm body placed itself on his lap and warm lip attached themselves to his. Baekhyun kissed with so much vigour and aggression that it made the Prince’s head spin.

When they broke apart Chanyeol had noticed the tears in Baekhyun’s eyes, and as they rolled down his cheeks he gently kissed them away.

“I love you.” Uttered the Prince, it was so quiet that it almost seemed like it was the wind, but Baekhyun heard it loud and clear.

Baekhyun crashed their lips together in another heated kiss as Chanyeol lightly pushed him into the bed. “I’ve been waiting so long for you to say those words,” Baekhyun said before Chanyeol attacked his neck.

“Aa...aha…” Baekhyun moaned as he clawed at the Prince’s clothed back.

“Take it off.” He commanded and Chanyeol was more than happy to oblige.

Soon they were both stark naked, mapping each other’s skin with the pads of their fingers of their lips. Soft moans and the rustling of sheets filled the air.

“I want you,” Baekhyun whispered and it was Chanyeol needed to enter him.

Closer

Closer

Closer

Chanyeol wanted Baekhyun to be closer. Their bodies rocked in unison and the bed creaked under the force of Chanyeol’s thrusts, the room was filled with Baekhyun’s moans and Chanyeol’s groans. Baekhyun’s hands explored Chanyeol’s body and uncovered new places that were sensitive.

That night they weren’t ‘The Prince’ and ‘The Assassin’s Apprentice’, they were Baekhyun and Chanyeol. They were two souls who were hurt by the world. They were beaten and bruised, but their love was helping them heal. They were still a long way off, but with time even the deepest wounds heal.

~

Right when Chanyeol fell asleep Baekhyun untangled himself from the Prince’s limbs and climbed out of bed. He quickly dressed and before leaving he went back to Chanyeol’s side and simply watched him, the most serene smile graced the Assassin’s features. The Prince looked so peaceful as he slept as if nothing could harm him. Oh, what he wouldn’t do to see his Prince like this more often.

Moving forward Baekhyun placed a gentle kiss on Chanyeol’s forehead. “I love you too, my Angel.” He whispered before grabbing the dagger he always carried in the waistband of his trousers and exited the room.

He had to end this.

For Chanyeol.

For Yixing

For all the innocent lives that were sacrificed.

For Himself.

~

Chanyeol woke up alone.

“Baekhyun?” He called out, but he was met with silence.

There was noise outside as he peeked out the window the Prince noticed everyone was heading towards the Palace or around the Palace. Chanyeol was very confused, so he decided to get dressed and investigate.

“Your Highness! Chanyeol!” Yelled a voice.

Chanyeol stepped out of his room and began to walk down the hall.

The Prince turned around and what he saw confused him even more. The Princess was running towards him at full speed.

“Analyn, whats wrong? Have you seen Baekhyun?” Asked the Prince.

All the Princess could do was sob harder. “Your Highness he’s being executed. He was charged with treason when they found him in the King’s chamber with a dagger.”

Chanyeol paled. “Where?”

“The Courtyard. In front of the gate.” He didn’t stay to hear anything else.

The Prince ran with all his might to the courtyard, his heartbreaking and his mind filled with what ifs. What if he was too late? What if Baekhyun is already gone?

Once he reached the Palace courtyard there was a large crowd formed around the stage where Baekhyun was standing with a noose around his neck. Hands and feet shackled.

“This man is being charged with the assassination of Advisor Junmyeon Kim, and the attempted assassination of Prince Chanyeol and our beloved King, along with many others as the notorious Assassin’s Apprentice!” Exclaimed the Executioner. “What are your last words Pest?” He spat.

No. Thought Chanyeol. This can’t be. The Prince began pushing through the crowd, fighting to get to the stage. He couldn’t let this happen.

“I didn’t kill Advisor Kim!” Yelled Baekhyun. His eyes crazed in the face of Death. “And nor did I attempt to kill the Prince!”

The Executioner snickered darkly. “Baekhyun Byun I hereby sentence you to death by hanging.”

“No!” Screamed the Prince. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. As the executioner moved to pull the lever to release the trap door, Chanyeol bound up the steps of the stage, robbing the guard on standing on the edge of it of his sword before cutting the rope of which Baekhyun was on the end of.

Baekhyun fell to the ground under the stage, rushing to loosen the noose around his neck and taking in greedy lungfuls of air. I’m alive? I’m alive. I’m alive! I’m alive! His brain chanted; over and over and over again unable to believe itself.

“What do you think you’re doing executing my personal guard?!”

The executioner just stared dumbly at the spot where the Assassin just stood. Mouth hanging open.

“Did you not hear me? Have you gone mute? Speak!”

“Y-your Hi-i-gness.” The man stuttered. “These o-orders-s w-were given by His M-Mages-sty the K-King.”

“The King?”

“Y-yes”

“I will speak to the King.” Said Chanyeol with a tone of finality, leaving no room for argument. All the executioner could do was bow and let out a slightly steadier “Yes Your Highness.”

Removing the guard’s keys. Chanyeol jogged down the steps to where Baekhyun was still laying. The crowd gaped in stunned silence at the prince, too afraid to move.

Baekhyun was still lying on the cold ground of the courtyard staring at the sky through the trap door he fell through amazed that he was okay. Chanyeol helped him up, carefully the prince removed the noose from his neck and unshackled him before dragging the man away.

~

As soon as they were out of sight from curious eyes Chanyeol pushed Baekhyun against a wall and crashed their lips together. All of his longing and relief pouring into the young Assassin.

He was okay. His Love was okay.

Pulling away the Prince pressed their foreheads together. “I’m sorry, Baekhyun. I’m so sorry, my Love.”

At those words, Baekhyun burst into tears. “I thought I was going to die. I-I” He Hiccuped. “I thought that was the end a-and and-”

“For someone who deals with death on a daily basis, you sure fear it a whole lot.” The Prince joked, hoping that it would lift his Love’s mood at least a little bit.

Baekhyun let out a broken laugh in between his sobs.

As Chanyeol moved to wipe the tears that were freely flowing from the Assassin’s eyes Baekhyun leaned into the touch.

“I thought I lost you.” Whispered Chanyeol, not sure if Baekhyun was actually in front of him or has he finally gone mad.

“I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.” Replied Baekhyun with a smile so sweet that the Prince couldn’t help but return one back.

~

The Executioner beckoned the Guard over. “Inform the King. The Prince knows.”

~

They silently walked back to the Prince’s chambers. No words were exchanged, but Baekhyun’s ever-tightening hand around Chanyeol’s bicep every time someone walked past said enough. Breakfast was brought up for them by the servants and placed on one of the tables in the room.

“Eat something.” Said Chanyeol offering Baekhyun a piece of fruit.

“I don’t think I can eat much of anything right now.”  
Mumbled Baekhyun.

Chanyeol placed the fruit back in the bowl and went to one of his chests before he started digging around. Once he found what he was looking for he turned to face Baekhyun once more.

“Baekhyun, I need you to stay here.” Said Chanyeol out of nowhere.

“Chanyeol?”

Tears began brimming in the Prince’s eyes. “He’s harmed so many innocent people for the sake of himself, Baekhyun I need to finish it, we can’t go on like this.”

“Chanyeol, my Love. I don’t understand what you’re saying.” Baekhyun said, puzzled.

The Prince didn’t say anymore he just turned around and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Baekhyun tried following him, only to realise that the door had been locked. “Shit.”

He decided to have a look at the chest that the Prince was looking through. There wasn’t anything spectacular, just a few clothes, a pair of boots and a black cloak. It took Baekhyun a while to notice that it was the chest he was given to place his few belongings when he first arrived, and one of his daggers was missing.

He had to find a way out of this room.

~

Chanyeol pushed the heavy door of the Throne room where he knew the King would be.

The father and son stared at each other for a moment.

“So? You know.” Said the King making his way over to his son.

“You killed them.” Spoke Chanyeol calmly.

“I didn’t kill them, Chanyeo-”

“If you wouldn’t have given orders they’d still be alive!” Screamed the Prince, now breathing heavily. “Yixing, my brother would still be alive, all the innocent boys you had killed. ALL OF THEM!” Chanyeol launched himself at the King, driving the dagger into his stomach once.

“You tried taking him from me! you tried to take Baekhyun.” He stabbed the old man two more times.

“I did it for you. I did it so you wouldn’t have to worry about a brother overthrowing you.” Croaked the King.

“He wouldn’t have overthrown me father, he was kind!” Sobbed Chanyeol.

“I did it because I love you.” Were the King’s last words to his son, as Chanyeol brought the dagger down one more time. Straight through the heart.

~

Baekhyun ran as fast as he could to the throne room, but once he got there nothing could have prepared for the sight in front of him.

Chanyeol was kneeling on the ground, his hands and clothes stained with his father’s blood who lay in front of him. Motionless. One of Baekhyun’s daggers in the man’s chest.

The Prince looked absolutely defeated, his hands and clothes were stained with the scarlet red of his own father’s blood; Chanyeol knew that he did the right thing. He knew. So why did it hurt so much, to see the man who he had looked up to his entire life lying in a pool of his own blood? A man that surely deserved this brutal end, an end that he has sentenced many other young men to out of his insecurities.

Why did it hurt so much?

Slowly Chanyeol turned to the Assassin and his face displayed the saddest smile Baekhyun has ever seen. A smile that couldn’t decide if it was relieved or devastated.

“It’s over Baekhyun, He won't hurt anyone anymore.”

Suddenly his face became wet with tears and once the severity of what he has done hit him they would not stop. He had killed his own father.

Kneeling beside his Lover, Baekhyun felt the blood of the King seep through the fabric of his trousers. He turned both their heads away from the King and let Chanyeol grieve his father.

Once Chanyeol’s sobbing and shaking died down Baekhyun asked. “Where do we go from here?”

“With you by my side, I’d go to the depths of Hell.”

~EPILOGUE~

Lucy was in awe.

“What happened next?” she asked eagerly.

“Well, I assume that Prince, now King Chanyeol and Baekhyun ruled together. Chanyeol never got married and didn’t have any children, so I’m sure that both were happy. They offered August and Jongdae to go live in the Palace, but they refused. Though Chanyeol and Baekhyun did secretly make sure the pair always had enough of everything. They had a proper funeral for Yixing, whose art became really valuable after he died, which is usually the case with artists.”

“And what about Princess Analyn?” Lucy questioned.

“She and the Prince didn’t marry, but the two Kingdoms did become Allies, and she not only became Andoria’s first Queen, she became the nation’s most beloved Monarch.”

"And what actually happened with Advisor Kim?"

"He overheard the King talking about killing Yixing and decided to get rid of him before he told anyone."

Lucy just nodded for a moment before Karen spoke up once more. “Okay now go get some work done so you don’t have to come back another day. My God, the weather is terrible.”

“That’s just London, love it or hate it.”

“That’s true. Now come on, get some drawing done.” Said the Tutor.

Right as Karen left, Lucy decided to actually settle down and draw something. She walked along the wall of paintings and stopped at a random one. The painting portrayed two older gentlemen. One was seated on a throne, while the other stood behind him. that painting was surrounded by other paintings around the same size which seemed like they were the same men. Sometimes there was a young woman with them with golden hair with them who Lucy could see was getting older in every painting she appeared in. She walked along the wall until she reached the last one. It was rather simple. two elderly men both sitting in plain wooden chairs, the background was rather simple and if Lucy tries she can even make out a simplified version of ‘The Assassin’s Apprentice’ in the background.

She looked down at the plaque at the base of the painting.

_Unknown_  
_King Chanyeol and Advisor Byun 1650_  
_Oil on canvas_

She quickly skimmed through the information.

“... the last portrait painted of King Chanyeol and Royal Advisor Byun before their death in 1651. Both men died of natural causes just within weeks of each other…”

Lucy had found her painting as she settled down to sketch it.


End file.
